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Human Resource Practices In Hotel Industry

INTRODUCTION TO HOTEL INDUSTRY

One of the fastest growing sectors of the economy of our time is the hotel industry. The hotel industry alone is a multi-billion dollar and growing enterprise. It is exciting, never boring and offer unlimited opportunities. The hotel industry is diverse enough for people to work in different areas of interest and still be employed within the hotel industry. This trend is not just in India, but also globally.
Modern hotels provide refined services to their guests. The customers or guests are always right. This principle necessitated application of management principles in the hotel industry and the hotel professionals realized the instrumentality of marketing principles in managing the hotel industry.
The concept of total quality management is found getting an important place in the marketing management of hotels. The emerging positive trend in the tourism industry indicates that hotel industry is like a reservoir from where the foreign exchange flows. This naturally draws our attention on HOTEL MANAGEMENT. Like other industries, the hotel industry also needs to explore avenues for innovation, so that a fair blending of core and peripheral services is made possible. It is not to be forgotten that the leading hotel companies of the world have been intensifying research to enrich their peripheral services with the motto of adding additional attractions to their service mix. It is against this background that we find the service mix more flexible in nature.
The recruitment and training programmes are required to be developed in the face of technological sophistication. The leading hotel companies have been found promoting an ongoing training programme so that the personnel come to know about the use of sophisticated communication technologies.

Hotel – The Concept
At the outset, we go through the concept of hotel. The common law says that hotel is a place where all who conduct, themselves properly and who being able and ready to pay for their entertainment, accommodation and other services including the boarding like a temporary home. It is home away from home where all the modern amenities and facilities are available on a payment basis.
It is also considered to be a place where tourist stops, cease to be travellers and become customers. The definition presented by hotel operators to authorities of the National Recovery Administration in Washington is found to be a more comprehensive definition, presented by Stuart Mc Namara. The definition states that, “ Primarily and fundamentally, a hotel is an establishment which supplies boarding and lodging not engaged in inter – state commerce or in any intra – state commerce, competitive with or affecting inter – state commerce (or so related that the regulation of one involves the control of other).”
The hotel may furnish quarters and facilities for assemblage of people for social business or entertainment purposes and may engage in retaining portion of its premises for shops and businesses whose continuity (i.e., proximity) is deemed appropriate to a hotel. The assemblage of people for social business and entertainment purposes makes it essential that hotels are also furnished with a big conference hall where the maximum possible accommodation is available. We also call it the function room.

Motel – The Concept
Initially the term motel was meant for local motorists and foreign tourists travelling by road. They serve the needs and requirements of these travellers and meeting their demand for transit and accommodation. Some of the important services offered by the motels are parking, garage facilities, accommodation, and restaurant facilities.
Motels are found located outside the city, preferably by the side of high ways and important road junctions. The accommodation in this is more in the category of a ‘chalet facility’. In USA, the motel accommodation is ranked at par with hotel accommodation.

Origin of the word “Hotel”
Before 1760 people used to go to inns for having their lunch, dinner etc .It was the place where families used to host their guest inns owner used to provide lodging and boarding facility service to their guest.
To world “hostel” was used then it was called “hostelier” which means head of unit or the place. The Norman people invented the word “hotel”. The word “hotel” was originally in England, officially from 1760. The real growth of modern hotel was originated in “U.S.A” with opening of “City Hotel” in New York in the year 1974. This was the first building erected for the hotel purpose. This period also saw the beginning of chain operation under the guidance of E.M.STATLER. It involves big investment, big profits and trained professional to manage business.

Origin of Hotel Industry
The repreciation in 1930 had a disaster effect in a hotel industry after the World War II and brought a tremendous up surge to hotel industry with continuous prosperity of hotel industry.
Mass travel is a modern phenomenon that emerged after World War II. Mass tourism continues to grow as political freedom, economic wherewithal and social equality spread across the globe. With the economic engine of development running at full steam, there was a growth in international travel and thereby growth in hotel industry.
Estimates abound as to the importance and size of house keeping. Certainly, its economic contribution is critical to the global economy whether as a service to the business community.

Background of Hotel Industry
Prior to the 1980’s, the Indian hotel industry was a nascent and slow growing industry primarily consisting of relatively static, single hotel companies. However, Asian games in 1982 and the subsequent partial liberalization of the Indian economy generated tourism interest in India with significant benefits accruing to the hotel and tourism sector in terms of improved demand patterns. Fortunes of the hotel industry are tied to the fortunes of tourism and the general business climate in the country, which is why the economic liberalization initiatives implemented since 1991, led to a soaring demand and supply gap in the hotel industry.

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION OF HOTEL INDUSTRY

Classifications of hotels
 On the basis of standards:
Like most of the countries in world, India also has hotels divided in different categories depending on their location, facilities, infrastructure and amenities provided. All the star hotels in India are government approved with continuous control on the quality of services offered.
 Five Star Hotels: - The most luxurious and conveniently located hotels in India are grouped under Five Star Deluxe Hotel categories. Five Star Deluxe in India are globally competitive in the quality of service provided, facilities offered and accommodation option. These are top of the line hotels located mostly in big cities. These hotels provide all the modern facilities for accommodation and recreation matching international standards in hospitality. In such type of hotel HR department are established separately and to execute and to follow the concept of HR strictly, HR professional are hired.
 Four Star Hotels: - A rung below five star hotels are Four Star Hotels, these hotels provide all the modern amenities to the travelers with a limited budget. Quality of services is almost as high as the five stars and above categories. These kinds of hotels are there for the travelers with limited budget or for the places which might not get the tourist traffic associated with larger cities. In such type of hotel concept of HR is more or less followed.
 Three Star Hotels: - These are mainly economy class hotels located in the bigger and smaller cities and catering to the needs of budget travelers. Lesser in amenities and facilities, these hotels are value for money and gives good accommodation and related services on the reduced price. Services would be stripped down version of higher categories of hotels but sufficient to fulfill customer basic needs. In such type of hotel concept of HR may or may not be present. If present all functions of HRD is curtailed.
 Two Star Hotels: - These hotels are most available in the small cities and in particular areas of larger cities. Catering to the backpacker tourist traffic, these hotels provide all the basic facilities needed for general accommodation and offers lowest prices. In this type of hotel concept of HR is absent.
 One Star Hotels:- The hotels with most basic facilities, small number of room’s locations in the far-flung areas are grouped under One Star Hotel category. These hotels are best when customer is looking for cheapest available accommodation option. In this type of hotel concept of HR is alien words.

 On the basis of Nature:
 Heritage Hotels
Heritage hotels in India are best if one is looking for sheer elegance, luxury and loyal treatment. They are not just another accommodation options but tourist attractions in themselves. Exquisitely designed and decorated, meticulously preserved, high standards of service and ethnic cultural motifs helps the tourists get the complete experience of an India.
 Beach Resorts Hotels
Peninsular India bounded by Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean and the two emerald archipelagos of Lakshwadeep and Andaman and Nicobar have a long coast line of around 7500 km, offering an amazing array of beaches, some popular, some not so well known. Thus location of resort is the basic point of attraction for tourists.
 Wild Resorts Hotels
A wildlife tour is incomplete if one does not actually live in a forest for a few days. It means living in a rest house or a tent the midst of the dense wilderness and waking up to the twittering of birds.
 Government Approved Hotels
These are the hotels, which might not have applied for star categorization or small enough to find them in the list. Many of the wildlife resorts, lodges and hostels are government approved providing a minimum level of accommodation facilities at far off places.
 Residential Hotels
The residential hotels work as apartment house. Often we call them apartment hotels. The hotels charge rent on monthly, half – yearly, or yearly basis. They are generally located in big cities and towns where no meals are served to the customers. Initially, the residential hotels were developed in the USA. The services offered here are comparable to an average well managed home.

 Commercial Hotels
The commercial hotels are meant for the people who visit a place of trade and commerce or business purposes and therefore these hotels are found located at the commercial or industrial centers. They focus their attention on individual travelers and are generally run by owners.
 Floating Hotels
The floating hotels are located on the water surface. The places are sea, river, and lake. These hotels provide with all the facilities and services made available in a good hotel. In the leading tourist generating countries of the world we find the practice of using old luxury ships as floating hotels.